1959 Mercedes-Benz 300D Sedan

£41,925

car description

In the 1950’s, the Mercedes-Benz lineup was vast and diverse with a range that included everything from buses and trucks to the 300SL sports car. But Mercedes was still in recovery mode after the war; and even though the 300SL was a highly advanced car, it was not a clean-sheet design. Many of the famous SL’s components were courtesy of the flagship 300 sedan, produced from 1951-1962. The W189 300D was the final evolution of what became known as the “Adenauer” sedan, named so for the German Chancellor, Dr. Konrad Adenauer who famously had six of these magnificent automobiles in his personal fleet. The 300D improved on prior versions with a freshened body design that was wider all around with an attractive flat roof and extended rear quarter panels. The three-liter inline six was updated with an 8.5:1 compression ratio and Bosch fuel injection adapted from the 300SL. The advanced engine was mated to a three speed automatic transmission. Of course, luxurious equipment abounded and the 300D boasted a wheelbase that was longer than the comparable Rolls Royce Silver Cloud LWB. One notable characteristic was rear quarter windows that could be removed, making the 300D an elegant and airy